A system for connecting a wireless enabled device to a network via a wireless local area network is shown in FIG. 1, and is described in more detail in WO2006/021784. The system 1a comprises a wireless access point 3 connected via a modem 11 to a network 13, such as the Internet, and a server 15. The wireless access point 3 comprises a base station 7 for providing a wireless connection to a wireless enabled device 9 and a wireless access point controller 5 for controlling the connection of the wireless enabled device 9 to the network 13. The modem 11 and base station 7 are connected to the wireless access point controller 5 at ports 6a and 6b respectively of the wireless access point controller 5.
The wireless enabled device 9 may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) 19, a laptop 21, a desktop personal computer 23 or other wireless enabled device. Such wireless enabled devices 9 are typically compliant with the IEEE 802.11 specification and/or the Bluetooth® specification.
The server 15 comprises a server processor 16 and a storage means 17, which may comprise a database. Software is stored in the storage means 17, and can be downloaded to a wireless access point 3. The storage means 17 also stores information about wireless access points 3 and subscription data associated with users of wireless enabled devices 9 subscribing to the network 1a. The wireless access point 3 connects to the server 15 via the network 13. A feature of this system is that any person can set-up and run a revenue generating hotspot.
A wireless access point 3 may be commissioned by downloading and installing software from the server 15 and by sending data from the wireless access point 3 to the server 15 to register the wireless access point 3. The server 15 authenticates connection of a wireless enabled device 9 to the network/Internet 13 via the wireless access point 3 based on matching subscription data provided by the user of the wireless enabled device 9 with subscription data stored in the storage means 17.
In FIG. 1, the wireless access point 3 is connected to the modem 11 by a wired connection, for example, by an Ethernet cable. Alternatively, the wireless access point 3 may be connected to the modem 11 wirelessly. A base station, such as a wireless router, may be connected by an Ethernet cable to the modem 11 and a further base station may be connected to a first port 6a of the wireless access point controller 5. This arrangement may be found, for example, where it is not possible to locate the wireless access point controller 5 close to the modem.
In the system of FIG. 1, two ports 6a, 6b are used on the wireless access point controller 5 of the wireless access point 3, each point 6a, 6b having its own Internet Protocol (IP) address. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that each port 6a, 6b requires a network adaptor, such as a network card. As commonly available personal computers and laptops are not conventionally provided with two network adaptors the requirements for two network adaptors is an impediment to commissioning of conventional wireless access points 3 as shown in FIG. 1.
However, in such prior art hotspot arrangements, it is necessary to have a separate router (for internet access) such as a modem 11 and a wireless access point 3. This invention provides improvements to the system and method described above, allowing the use of a standard wireless router to provide a hotspot for guest access.